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Focus on Resume Writing

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JobMonkey.com
Volume VIII, Issue #19
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For the past several weeks, we have been focusing on specific industries and opportunities, including summer jobs, freelance writing jobs and jobs abroad. This week, we are getting back to basics and talking about resume writing. No matter what stage you are at in your career, or what kind of job you are looking for, you undoubtedly need a resume. So, stay tuned for JobMonkey's insider tips on how to craft a resume that will land at the top of the pile.

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

1) Spotlight: 21 Top Resumes Tips
2) Around the Monkey: Best of Cover Letters & Resumes
3) New Jobs @ JobMonkey Job Center

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SPOTLIGHT: Blackjack! 21 Top Resume Tips
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Writing a great resume shouldn't be a gamble. Your resume represents you, so don't just roll the dice! Follow the advice of professional resume writers and make sure your have a resume that will land at the top of the pile. Here are 21 tips to help you craft a winning resume.

1. Make sure you list your correct name, address and phone number at the top of the page. Also provide an email address. If your regular email is something cutesy (like hottie95), get a new email for your job search. You can sign up for a free email address at hotmail, yahoo! or gmail.

2. Include a summary/objective right under your name and address. Update your objective for each application, so that it is fine-tuned to the specifics of that job opportunity.

3. For a standard resume, include at least three main sections: education, experience and skills. If you are applying for your first job after college, list your education first. Otherwise, bump experience to the top of the page.

4. Only include relevant experience, whether paid or volunteer.

5. List experience and education in chronological order, from the most recent to the least recent. If your jobs overlapped, list the most relevant one first.

6. Unless you are still in high school, don't list your high school career under education.

7. Limit each entry to 3-4 lines. Only list relevant details, including title, name and location of employer, major job responsibilities and accomplishments, and the dates of your employment.

8. Use descriptive, action verbs for resumes. Don't say "responsible for" - instead write "orchestrated", "supervised", "managed", etc.

9. Create a separate sheet for your employment references. Do not list them on the resume.

10. If you are still in college, you may want to include relevant leadership experience, including committee work and volunteer projects. You can include this under "experience" or you can create a forth category for "leadership".

11. If you are applying for an academic position, add a section for published works and presentations. Like experience and education, list them in chronological order, with the most recent at the top.

12. The rule of thumb for length is one page. Some professions require a longer resume, but for most jobs - especially entry level ones - you should be able to fit all your relevant information onto one page.

13. Use a standard font choice, and keep bolding and italics to a minimum. Don't use a font size smaller than 10. If a potential employer has to strain to read your resume, odds are it won't get read.

14. Chose skills that highlight your versatility. Be sure to list any computer skills you have (although, everyone these days knows how to use Microsoft Office and email, so you don't need to include those!)

15. Mention only those awards and honors that support your targeted job search. You may create a new section called "Awards & Honors" or you can list them under their relevant entry. For example, Dean's List and Honor Roll belongs under your college education.

16. Avoid slang, jargon or abbreviations.

17. Identify your accomplishments, not just your responsibilities. Where possible, quantify these accomplishments (for example: "Eliminated wasteful spending by 25% and saved company more than $120,000 annually.")

18. Check your resume against the job ad you are applying for. Make sure that your language matches. If the ad says they are looking for someone to organize, prioritize and supervise, those same verbs should appear on your resume.

19. Don't leave three inches of white space at the bottom of the page. If you do not have any more content to add, try rearranging your layout, adjusting your margins, or sizing up your font.

20. Print your resume on a laser printer or high quality ink jet. Use heavy bond 8 1/2" by 11" paper. If you live outside the United States, use A4 paper.

21. Proofread, proofread, proofread. A single typo could move you from top of the pile to the circular file (aka, the trash can!)

This blackjack of tips should be enough to get you started on crafting your resume. If you need more inspiration, be sure to check out JobMonkey's extensive collection of sample resumes.

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AROUND THE MONKEY: Best of Resume Writing
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The JobMonkey blog has extensively covered the topic of resume writing, including these two crowd pleasers:

>> Tips for Success: Resume Writing

>> 5 Ways to Get Your Resume to the Top of the Pile

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JOB OPENINGS: Summer Jobs
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Now that your resume is in tip-top shape, you are ready to start applying for jobs! The JobMonkey Job Center is a great place to start your search. We have hundreds of job listings from around the country, all updated daily. The best part is that our job center is free for job seekers!

Find current jobs in the Job Center.

 

 

 

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